Because technology has made man arrogant and egocentric.
Because we think that environmental education does not work when man face environment authoritatively.
Because the "Nature-Animals-Man" triptych must retain a balance
Because man can never realize the fact that man and environment are interdependent by means of words but by experience and actions. This is the reason why we created "Once upon a time"
At its live folklore workshops you will see nature, man, animals in an interdependent harmonic and balanced relationship.
At "Once upon a time" you will see no dead exhibition areas.
You will experience live tradition, a fairytale-like reality, a game of tradition and life, of nature, man, animals, in as ideal relationship.

We are very proud and very happy to propose NISOS NAXOS 2 009, a unique 11-day seminar in Naxos, from July 21st to July 31st, 2 009.

Much more than a seminar : a unique journey within tradition, culture, history, music, soul and life of the islands, of the Kyklades, of the Aegean Sea, with the Naxiotes !

A unique and very-first experience : we will danse within the villages, with teachers from those villages, where the Naxian tradition was born : Komiaki Koronida, Koronos, Apeiranthos, Kynidaros, Damarionas. Therefore, the villagers will be with us, and interact with us !

After a whole year of intense preparation, & with the strong partnership of the Naxos
community, the Council of Drymalias, and the Cultural Associations of the villages, we propose this unique 11-day seminar, in the rhythm of the \"nisiotika\", in the rythm of the waving, flowing and swaying music from those unique Greek islands.

Naxos is the real heart of the musical and choreographic life of the Cyclades, and succeeded in preserving a very rich, very lively and very unique patrimony.
Naxos is the Island with the strongest dance and music tradition, and this extraordinary heritage radiates within the whole Aegean Sea and within Greece, making \"nissiotika\" synonymous with \"naxiotika\" and viceversa.

This seminar has the objective to enable you to discover, share, live and deepen the Naxian life and culture. Therefore, our partners for this seminar will be true \"Naxiotes\", with deep, long and strong Naxian roots. We will not \"land\", drop or \"parachute\" in Naxos a program being foreign to Naxos.

It will be for you the unique opportunity to meet with the Naxiotes, to live a rare experience in a Greece still preserved, authentic, ancestral, forgotten, and magical …
It will be for you the unique way to share moments that will turn out to be rare, warm, joyful, and unforgettable…
We will be, you will be every day with the islanders, with a community that has been tightly associated to this seminar, which will be theirs, as much as it will be yours.

We\'ll be together be \"immersed\" in the Naxian tradition, this famous \"paradosi\".
Our goal consisted in being as close as possible to the islanders, to their daily life, to their history and culture.
Therefore, we started preparing this seminar with them, from the beginning, step by step. All
the thinking, all the ideas, all the initiatives & decisions have been made in a close relationship with the Naxiotes, so that we may build with them a really genuine, authentic seminar.

We will meet with many Naxiotes, and we will go to the places where their tradition was born : the villages in the mountains and in the valleys, the small fishing harbours, the places where this tradition is transmitted and shared, with passion, strength and authenticity.
We will danse in the villages : morning, afternoon, evening, night. We will not be in an hotel for the dances, we will not be disconnected from the Naxos daily life. Our teaching
will be where the Naxiotes dance, or learn dancing : the squares in the villages, in front of the church, the school or the \"kafeneio\".
This will be a step from us towards the Naxiotes, and a friendly way to have them be with us, and able to react, interact, or simply join us !

Our teachers, our choregraphers, will be first rank dancers, having a name, a fame, and
a high respect within Naxos, but also within Greece and abroad. Each one is coming from a specific village, and we will have our teaching in the village where each teacher is coming from.

The dances in Naxos, the \"nisiotika\", were born from a unique alchemy between old instruments from Naxos, and newly-come instruments in the 20s, such as violin and lute, when refugees arrived from Asia Minor, escaping from massacre, torture and extermination.
A unique fusion took place with old naxian instruments, such as \"tsambouna\", flute and drum.
The result was a very attractive and fascinating music, which spread out of the islands to the rest of Greece, and then to the rest of the world, being a companion to all emigrants, and a symbol of the so much loved Aegean Sea.

We will also learn dances from other Kyklades, around Naxos : beautiful, yet unknown or forgotten dances from Sifnos, Serifos, Kythnos, Amorgos, Mykonos, Paros, Rodos, etc.

This is of course a non-profit seminar. The cost will be about 700 €. The money will be collected to pay for local expenses : hotel, taverns at night, teachers, musicians, bus.

We enclose a presentation in English, in Greek and in French, as well as a registration form.

Please do share the information with people around you, and especially greek dancers.
Very soon, a web site will be ready, I\'ll send you an e-mail to let you know. It will provide you with further information (transportation to Naxos, etc)

I do remain at your disposal for further information.
Please feel free to reach me by phone at : 00 33 6 03 78 28 77, or by mail at : nisosnaxos@gmail.com

All my best wishes for 2 009, with much happiness and joy, plenty of love, and a lot of greek dancing...

Municipality of OZDERE / IZMIR-Turkey will organıse "XVI.. International Cultures, Arts, Sports and Folklore Festival " 22-27.07.2009.
The committee would like to invite six Folkdance group (adult/young) under the cultural basic exchange conditions.
The group will be accommodated 5 nights in the Hotel near the seaside;
If you accept these conditions, please answer in a short time. So we will send you official invitation letter.
Please accept our sympathetic and best wishes from all of us and say HELLO to your group.
Best Regards,
Arif Sönmez..